Apparatus and Method for Light Control in an in-Vivo Imaging Device

Abstract

A device and method for operating an in vivo imaging device (10A) wherein the illumination produced by the device may be varied in intensity and / or duration, and / or the gain level or other parameters may be varied, according to, for example, the amount of illumination produced by the device which is reflected back to the device. In addition, a method is provided for detecting problematic pixels in an imaging device. This method may define and exclude non-functional pixels, based on for example an initial short exposure that enables a threshold saturation level to be reached only for problematic pixels. Moreover, a method is described for determining when an in vivo device enters the body, for example by calculating the progress of a dark frame, based on the light saturation threshold of the dark frame.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Devices and methods for performing in-vivo imaging of passages or cavities within a body are known in the art. Such devices may include, inter alia, various endoscopic imaging systems and devices for performing imaging in various internal body cavities. [0002] Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of an autonomous in-vivo imaging device. The device 10A typically includes an optical window 21 and an imaging system for obtaining images from inside a body cavity or lumen, such as the GI tract. The imaging system includes an illumination unit 23. The illumination unit 23 may include one or more discrete light sources 23A, or may include only one light source 23A. The one or more light sources 23A may be a white light emitting diode (LED), or any other suitable light source, known in the art. The device 10A includes a CMOS imaging sensor 24, which acquires the images and an optical system 22 which focuse...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] Some embodiments of the present invention include a device and method for operating an in vivo imaging device wherein the illumination produced by the device may be varied in intensity and / or duration according to, for example, the amount of illumination produced by the device, which is reflected back to the device. In such a manner, the illumination can be controlled and made more efficient.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a method for implementing light control in an in vivo device is provided. Accordingly, the parameters such as exposure time and / or the gain factor, or other parameters, for transmitting the recorded light may bealtered. For example, the gain factor may be altered as a function of a light saturation level measured at least one interval within the frame exposure period. In such a manner the in vivo device can prevent cases of over and under exposure, in addition to helping to ensure that exposure ceases after full exposure is attained.

Problems solved by technology

One of the limitations of electronic imaging sensors is that they may have a limited dynamic range.

Thus, when the imaged field of view includes both dark and bright parts or imaged objects, the limited dynamic range of the imaging sensor may result in underexposure of the dark parts of the field of view, or overexposure of the bright parts of the field of view, or both.

Therefore, methods of controlling the illumination based on analysis of data or measurement results of previous frames may not be always feasible, particularly at low frame rates.

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